*Can put 2 seeds in each corner, uses more volume soil=more nutrients so won't dry out as fast, less watering

6 pack: small volume of soil, water once a day 25-30% shade dappled/filtered light

Tips!

*Plant should be same size as pot

*Cuttings do not require strictly sterile environment* Get it used to what conditions it will encounter

*You want small roots emerging from containers

*Soak larger seeds overnight plant next day (smaller seeds become harder to handle when wet) gives you even germination, good for bean/legume plants, -->after soaking dip in rhizobium (bacterium) powder ~ 70% more production when inoculated

Today we learned how to prepare a field with minimal soil disruption through the no till method. This is beneficial if you already have moist enough soil. You can check for moisture with a fork and if it easily submerges into the ground, the more moisture and better suited for this method.

PAUL'S TIPS- Keep tools clean, sharpened and maintained-Use the human chain to speed up passing out the tools -Save your back and work from a comfortable standing position to work with least amount of fatigue

Other tools...

Flat nose shovel: used to clean up beds, make walkways and to flatten and remove clods, also for scooping compost etc.

Eye hoe:good for shoots and roots, sharp

Stirrup/ hula hoe: little weeds just sprouting, cuts on push and pull just under surface of soil

“Miracle gro is like crack for plants! In fact they don’t even have a choice, because it is water soluble, they will grow out of control. What we want is food to be delivered to the plant at the right proportion that the plant is used to. So this is where the microorganisms come in to play, we feed them and they feed the ecosystem of the soil.”

“We are all smarter than a bug, you don’t have to go buy pesticide.”

“Each humus particle is actually a spiky particle that attracts nutrients and microorganisms, you can look at them as tiny energy batteries throughout soil.”

Static Composting Pros: If you have a lot of material (bulky) but not enough equipment/labor to turn it Cons: Takes the longest, 6mo-1yr

Mulching Pros: Sequesters carbon, cools soil, and creates habitat for biodiversity. It is a simple method, lay materials on soil as they naturally decompose, they slowely move into soil as humus. Humus: the end result of composting, its particles are microscopic, and are important because they resist decay, sequester carbon, and move slowly through the soil profile releasing nutrients and making it dark